| Members of the Skippack Fire Company responded to their firehouse in their 75-pound gear... for a game of dodgeball Thursday night.
Though the outing proved to be fun for participants, it was also a serious air management training drill. The drill was a way for firefighters to control the amount of air used during an emergency situation (while working with their brand new MSA air packs). Other aspects of our firefighters gear include boots, pants, coat, a helmet and gloves – though gloves were not worn during the drill allowing for better gripping of the dodgeballs. The air management drill is important because when handling a fire, firefighters must be aware of how much air they are using," Battalion Chief Keith Grierson said. This drill allowed for familiarity with the new air packs before moving to the training grounds for smoke evolutions and the eventual placement of the new equipment on all fire apparatus. SFC crews train numerous times per year while wearing self-contained breathing apparatus, both in smoke filled situations and outside of them.
While the evening's exercise was optional, over 25 men and women from the department were present, 20 of whom played in the dodgeball game, while others acted as referees and tracked members air usage and conditions. While it was the first time the departments played dodgeball as a training exercise, Grierson said the participants had positive feedback. "Everybody had a good time and even came away with some learnings. The new SCBA wears nicely and feels very balanced, while the features give firefighters a lot of advantages on the fire ground. Training at the Skippack Fire Company is a way of life because not only are we focused on the communities safety, but we also work to ensure every member goes home the way they came into the station or onto the scene of an incident”, he added.
As for the air management, Grierson said everyone did really well. Firefighters were able to re-enter the game after being hit out of the game by doing 5 pushups or jumping jacks. Crews also practiced "buddy breathing" as their air cylinder ran low on air. Members were able to gauge how their breathing and physical work relates to their air consumption. |
